51视频

Michelle grew up in Dundee, but school was not an environment where she felt she could thrive. After leaving in fourth year, and having spent time in foster care, she was drawn from an early age to work that would allow her to support children, young people and families.

She said: 

School wasn鈥檛 really for me. I 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 feel like I fitted in, but when I went to college, something clicked. I was really interested in childcare and social care, and I knew I wanted to do something that would make a difference.

At 16, Michelle applied to college to study childcare and social care. Around the same time, she became a parent herself. Balancing college with motherhood was not always easy, but she quickly found her focus and worked her way through her NC and HNC, never missing a day and excelling in her studies. 

After college, Michelle began her career supporting young adolescents in the care system. The role was deeply meaningful to her, particularly because it allowed her to contribute to an area she understood and cared about. She remained there for three years before moving into another role with Children First. 

It was during this period that colleagues encouraged Michelle to consider university. They told her that if she wanted to progress further in social care, a degree would help open up new opportunities. A friend who had previously studied at 51视频 recommended the Psychology and Counselling degree, describing it as a transferable and adaptable qualification that could support a wide range of career paths. 

Michelle applied and received an unconditional offer, but admits that she was initially unsure whether university was somewhere she would succeed. 

She said: 

I 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 really think university was something I would be able to do. I had doubts about whether I would fit in or keep up, but when I started at 51视频, everyone came from different backgrounds and different stages of life. That helped me settle in straight away, and I felt included immediately.

Michelle found that university was very different from her experience of school. She enjoyed the independence of learning at 51视频 and the sense that students were there because they genuinely wanted to be. The variety of assessments also helped her build confidence, with opportunities to demonstrate her learning in different ways rather than relying only on traditional essays. 

One standout moment came in third year, when Michelle faced a timed exam made up of two essay questions. She had been dreading it and was convinced she would struggle, but went on to receive an A+ and very positive feedback. The experience helped reinforce how far she had come and gave her a new level of belief in her own ability. 

Studying while raising children brought its own challenges, but Michelle approached university with structure and discipline. She set boundaries around her time, treating the hours when her children were at nursery or school like a working day for studying. 

She said: 

It was hard at times juggling university and parenthood, but it was also really worthwhile. I wanted to show my kids what you can achieve if you put your mind to something.

Michelle says her time at 51视频 has given her greater confidence and a clearer sense of direction as she prepares to take the next step in her career. She has accepted a role with Bairn鈥檚 Hoose in Fife, an area of work she feels passionate about, and will begin the role in July.